MERRY HILL – It was a game of two halves.

Hobgood Academy dominated the first half of play and Lawrence Academy won the second half, but the hole for the Lady Warriors was too deep as the Lady Raiders remained unbeaten in the Tarheel Independent Conference with a 53-37 victory.

“We had six turnovers and they had 10 points before we executed on offense at all,” second-year LA coach Jack Williford said. “We played well in the second half, but too many turnovers left us with a hole we just couldn’t get out of.”

Corie Roberson started things off for the Lady Raiders with a free throw just seven seconds into the contest. She was followed by Jamie Vanderford and Bobbie Stewart before burying a three-pointer of her own to make it 8-0 for the Raiders.

Debbie Stotesbury then hit a free throw for the Lady Warriors at the 4:33 mark of the first quarter.

Hobgood, however, continued to roll. Katelyn Whitehead scored for the Raiders before Vanderford hit back-to-back buckets and Schyler Edmondson scored again as the Lady Raiders led 16-1. They led 21-5 after one period of play.

The Lady Raiders continued to pull away as they built the lead to 30-8 when Whitehead scored at the 2:33 mark of the second quarter.

Danielle Davis then had a pair of free throws that sparked Lawrence on a 5-0 run as they closed to within 30-13 after an Ashton Lyle bucket.

Edmondson, however, put a dagger through the comeback with a triple that sent Hobgood into the locker room with a 33-13 edge.

The Lady Raiders had the first bucket of the second half, but Casey Belch responded with a triple. Despite a 13-point effort for the Lady Warriors in the third quarter, they still trailed by 19 heading into the final period of play.

Hobgood had the first four points of the fourth quarter, but Taylor Sexton sandwiched two scores around Stotesbury free throws to close within 49-32 at the 4:10 mark of the quarter.

Ashtyn Mizelle added a hoop and Belch hit another triple, but Hobgood held on for the victory.

The Lady Raiders were paced by Edmondson’s 14 points followed by 13 from Roberson and 12 from Vanderford.

Belch led Lawrence with 10 followed by six each from Sexton and Stotesbury. Jennifer White had five while Davis and Lyle had four each. Mizelle added two.

Lawrence will be back in action Friday when they host Pungo Christian Academy in another TIC contest.